Tend No Wounds

Personnel: Andrew Fidler (vocals, guitar); James May (vocals, drums); Athon (vocals).Recording information: Old Dominion Studios, Savannah, GA (01/2013); The Jam Room Studios, Columbia, SC (01/2013); Old Dominion Studios, Savannah, GA (02/2013); The Jam Room Studios, Columbia, SC (02/2013).On their earlier albums, Black Tusk nailed their colors to the mast with a driving sound that infused the progressive sludge the South is becoming known for with the energy of hardcore, creating a rampaging blend the band referred to as "swamp metal." Though that intensity has served the band well, their EP Tend No Wounds finds them slowing things down a bit with a midtempo sound that gives their murky riffage a little breathing room. Although it's fair to say that "polished" isn't a term one would generally use to describe a band like Black Tusk, the sound on the EP definitely feels cleaned up, removing some of the suffocating sludge of their previous efforts while still keeping things plenty heavy.